Yours truly went to the same mamak stall for a teh tarik this noon and someone has just passed the e-mail entitled “Stay Focused In Our Journey” from MAS Group CEO, which is still warm from the oven.
When asked, the person concerned said that he was not from MAS. Under Group CEO, En Ahmad Jauhari Yahya (AJ), MAS had spent a substantial sum of money to appoint IT consultant to track and control the flow of emails within MAS, in HERE, and substantial energy to lodge police report when an email such as the one below was previously published in the blog of yours truly, HERE.
Hopefully there will no witch hunting, appointment of another IT consultant to install more “canggih” programe to monitor MAS staffs and lodging another “shiok sendiri” police report against the so-called leakage of an email.
Yours truly would like to highlight just an excerpt from the said email:
“… all employees of Malaysia Airlines recognise the importance of rules, policies …”
1. Was it a policy of MAS to terminate its routes especially Dubai route under cost cutting exercise and reinstate it a year later under the recommendation of Seabury Consulting?
2. Was it a policy of MAS to give up routes especially the additional Sydney route to AirAsia X?
3. Was it the policy of MAS to uplift more than 50,000 passengers of AirAsia X, which has no prior interline agreement with MAS, and charged below market fares? Read HERE, HERE, HERE.
4. Was it a policy of MAS to enter into a catering contract costing MAS RM6.25 billion for a period of 25 years with LSG Skychef Brahim’s Sdn Bhd?
5. Was it the policy of MAS to curtail the expansion of its subsidiary, Firefly, where Firefly was making losses to the tune of RM89 million in 2011, under the pretext of cost cutting and after a year later to expand it? Read HERE.
6. Was it a policy of MAS to send its own aircraft to India for service and maintenance incurring unnecessary additional costs, while MAS is servicing and maintaining the aircraft of AirAsia X at its own hangar in Malaysia at a much reduced costs? Read HERE.
7. Was it a policy of MAS to employed eight ex-expatriates aka the Bollywood & Hollywood “stars costing MAS million of good Ringgit and at the same time quietly appointing consultant firm like Seabury Consulting to think for them?
8. Was it a policy of MAS to employ Bollywood and Hollywood “stars” to head important department in MAS when they are local talents, who are just as good as these ex-expatriates if not better?
The above are the only few questions as food for thought. Yours truly is certain that MAS staffs have many more penetrating questions to ask the top management of MAS.
Please don’t tell us that AJ had to make all those decisions at the material time. A CEO of a company always has the option to resign if he was asked to do something against the interests of the company and his own conscience. A CEO salary and perks are paid by the company and not individuals.
Below is the latest email dated 28-11-2013 at 10:23 am from AJ to MAS staffs:
From: YOUR VOICE ONLINE <UVOICE@malaysiaairlines.com>
Date: 28 November 2013 10:23:35 am GMT+8
Subject: Circular from GCEO: Staying Focused In Our Journey/Kekal Fokus Dalam Perjalanan Mencapai Kejayaan
(STRICTLY FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY)
CIRCULAR FROM GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
To : All Staff System-wide
Date : 28 November 2013
Ref : GCEO/CIR 034/13
Staying Focused In Our Journey
Dear Colleagues,
Of late, our Company has been under the media spotlight – for various reasons, including our disappointing Q3 2013 financial results in which we announced a Net Loss of RM375 million, and on the issue pertaining to the recent suspension of an employee, who is also a President of a trade union.
The news reports on the employee issue are not helping to build up confidence in the public eye that we are working hard in our challenging journey to turn around Malaysia Airlines. This is negative publicity that Malaysia Airlines does not need.
The Company is maintaining its stand not to comment on this employee matter publicly through the media. It is an internal matter which should be addressed and resolved internally, without interference from external parties.
Contrary to the news report, I wish to state that, at no time, has Malaysia Airlines neglected or compromised on the safety and well-being of its staff. Whilst certain practices have to be reviewed to align our airline to industry practice or to save costs, the Company has and will never put staff in any dangerous work environment. Safety is our No.1 priority – be it for our flying guests or our employees.
Our employees are the ones who make Malaysia Airlines special in the eyes of guests; make our airline stand-out from the rest. Hence caring for our employees is important to Management, so that we, as a team, can live up to our excellent service reputation. This is our edge, which we guard strongly.
Having said that, I am certain that all employees of Malaysia Airlines recognise the importance of rules, policies and procedures governing our behaviour as employees. There are set procedures to raise grievances pertaining to work-related matters, as well as to manage discipline. Maintaining decorum and harmony in the Company, showing respect to his/her colleagues and Management, are important values for us.
Behaviour that deviates from set policies and procedures cause us to lose focus on our daily operations. It is a hindrance that we cannot afford, at this time when we are putting in 110% to turn our loss-making Company into a profitable one.
Company matters do not need to be highlighted in the media. This is a sign of weakness that our competitors can easily take advantage of. Especially at this time, Malaysia Airlines needs to pull the full attention, commitment and effort of all 20,000-plus staff across the Group to show its strength to continue to fly high.
I am calling on each employee to think of the bigger, more important picture. Our Company reported a Net Loss of RM830 million for the nine months of January – end September 2013. We were hoping to report better numbers and a small Loss. Instead it is a large financial Loss. All eyes are us, you and me, to turn around a much-loved Malaysian icon into a profitable Group by the end of 2014. You know as well as I do that we have much competition and many challenges.
Still, I am confident that we, as a team, have what it takes to succeed, to win our battle against the competition and high costs. I am committed to continuously engaging employees at all levels. Together, we have to keep focused on our work, and on our Journey to profitability.
Let’s get to work. Stay focused. Stay strong. Stay together.
Ahmad Jauhari Yahya
Group Chief Executive Officer
Malaysia Airlines
